Recipe #20: Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

So Sunday afternoon was really more like a rainy March afternoon than an August one. Suddenly I knew what would cheer me up. A steaming cup of my favourite tea (Earl Grey, with milk and sugar)... and oatmeal raisin cookies. It just had to be!

Found a classic recipe, subbed in whole wheat flour for all-purpose, and came out with these really delightful cookies. I only made a half batch though.

Ingredients

*3/4 cup butter, softened

*3/4 cup white sugar

*3/4 cup brown sugar

*2 eggs

*1 teaspoon vanilla

*1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

*1 teaspoon baking soda

*3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*2 3/4 cups rolled oats

*1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

3. Stir together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually add this to the butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins.

4. Drop cookie dough my teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, remove cookies onto wire rack.

Recipe #16: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last night I had that killer craving for chocolate that couldn't be denied. Now, I could have gone down the street and picked up some M&M's or something, but that wouldn't have been as much fun. So instead I scanned the internet for recipes, but alas, my kitchen is lacking in ingredients at the moment. I then scanned my chocolate cookbook (yes, I have a chocolate cookbook), and was still left with nothing quite right. Rummaging in my baking cupboard, I found chocolate chips and the recipe for their usual chocolate chip cookies on the back. Finally, inspiration had struck! I changed the recipe around, halved it, and came out with these chewy, chocolate cookies. These would probably great if you added some nuts (1/3 cup)!

Ingredients

*1/2 cup butter, melted

*1/2 cup brown cup

*1/4 cup white sugar

*1 egg

*1 teaspoon vanilla

*1 teaspoon milk

*1 cup flour

*1/2 tsp baking soda

*1/4 cup cocoa powder

*1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Blend butter, brown and white sugar together. Cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

4. Beat in egg, vanilla and milk until smooth.

5. Combine the flour. baking soda and cocoa powder, and gradually blend it into the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips (and optional nuts).

6. Drop dough by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Makes 16 cookies.

Recipe #10: Vegan Chocolate Almond Cookies

Found these cookies on a favourite baking blog. I thought I would try some vegan baking for a change. However, I forgot how much I dislike molasses. UGH. However, the cookies came out really chewy, which I love in a cookie. I would suggest for those that don't love molasses like me to try out less molasses, more syrup and MORE chocolate. There is definitely not enough chocolate in this recipe for me, but it might be enough for others.

(Shout out to my CBC Calgary mug from the 80's! Heck yes!)

Ingredients

*2 cups all-purpose flour

*2 tsp baking powder

*1 tsp baking soda

*1 tsp sea salt

*1/2 cup granulated sugar

*1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I would up this big time)

*1 tsp ground cinnamon

*2/3 cup maple syrup

*1/2 cup molasses (I would halve this myself)

*1/2 cup vegetable oil

*1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Sift together all dry ingredients (minus almonds) into a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients until oil no longer separates. Add to dry ingredients; stir in almonds. Mix by hand until completely combined. I recommend chilling the dough for a less sticky rolling experience, because this dough is STICK-EE!)

2. Form dough into 1-inch balls; place onto cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for NO MORE THAN ELEVEN MINUTES. (Any longer, and they’ll burn!) Remove from oven. Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely (if you don't do this, they will stick to the sheet like the dickens). This recipe makes 20 good sized cookies.

Recipe #5: Lemon Cookies

I'm back! I don't know why it's taken me so long to bake anything, but here I am!

I've made these cookies before, and they are a lovely summer treat. Very light and refreshing. The girl whose blog I got the recipe from suggests eating them with a glass of lemonade... Mmm! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of these cookies, but if you click on the title of the entry, you get re-directed to the original blog I got the recipe from!

Ingredients

Dough:

*2 1/2 cups flour
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1 cup butter, softened
*3/4 cup sugar
*1 egg
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*zest of 3 lemons, finely grated

Icing:

*1 tablespoon lemon juice
*zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
*1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Beat butter on highest speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and egg, mix until smooth. On medium speed, mix in lemon zest and vanilla until just combined.

2. Sift together remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to butter mixture slowly. Keep your mixer on medium to avoid blowing flour all over your kitchen! Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.

3. While dough is chilling, you can prepare the icing. In a small bowl, stir together remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. You’ll probably have to play around with the consistency of the icing – it needs to be thin enough to be piped on to cookies, but thick enough to make stripes. Once icing shows no lumps, pour it into either an icing bag or a Ziploc, depending on what you have in your kitchen. If you use an icing bag and tips, make sure you grab a relatively small round tip. Snip a corner off of your Ziploc bag to ice cookies.

4. Once dough is chilled, drop rounded tablespoons three inches apart onto a cookie sheet. Dip a cup in butter and sugar, then flatten dough balls. The more you flatten, the crispier the cookie.

5. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and centers keep their shape when touched. Remove from cookie sheet immediately. Do not ice until cookies have cooled completely.